Congress intended to be held at Philadelphia on the 10th day of May next. Nor will we, from this day, import or purchase any tea from any port in the world, or import any molasses, syrup, coffee, or pimento, from the British Plantations, or from Dominica; nor wines from Madeira or the Western Islands, nor foreign indigo. Second. That we will neither import nor purchase any slaves imported from Africa or elsewhere, after the 15th day of March next. Third.-That we will not export any merchandise or commodity whatsoever to Great Britain or Ireland, or to the West Indies, after the first day of December next, except rice to Europe. Fourth.-Such as are merchants, and use the British and Irish trade, will give orders, as soon as possible, to their factors, agents, and correspondents in Great Britain and Ireland, not to ship any goods to them on any pretence whatsoever, as they cannot be received in Georgia; and if any merchants residing in Great Britain or Ireland shall, directly or indirectly, ship any goods, wares, or merchandise for this Province, in order to break such non-importation agreement, or any manner contravene the same, on such unworthy conduct being well attested, it ought to be made public; and on the same being so done, we will not from thenceforth have any commercial connection with such merchant. Fifth.-That such as are owners of vessels, will give positive orders to their captains or masters, not to receive on board their vessels any goods prohibited by the said non-importation agreement, on pain of immediate dismission from their service. Sixth.-We will use our utmost endeavours to improve the breed of sheep, and increase their number to the greatest extent, and, to that end, will kill them as sparingly as may be, especially those of a most profitable kind; nor will we export any to the West Indies, or elsewhere; and those of us who are, or may become, overstocked with, or can conveniently spare any sheep, will dispose of them to our neighbours, especially to the poorer sort, on moderate terms. Seventh.-That we will, in our several stations, encourage frugality, economy, and industry, and promote agriculture, arts, and the manufactures of America, especially those of wool; and will discountenance and discourage every species of extravagance and dissipation, especially horse-racing, and all kinds of gaming, cock-fighting, exhibition of shows, plays, and other expensive diversions and entertainments; and on the death of any relation or friend, none of us or our families will go into any further mourning dress than a black crape or ribbon on the arm or hat, for gentlemen, and a black ribbon and necklace, for ladies; and we will discontinue the giving of scarfs and gloves at funerals. Eighth.-That such as are venders of goods and merchandise, will not take advantage of the scarcity of goods that may be occasioned by this Association, but will sell the same at the rates they have been accustomed to do for twelve months last past; and if any vender of goods or merchandise shall sell any goods on higher terms, or shall in any manner, or by any device whatsoever, violate or depart from this agreement, no person ought, nor will any of us, deal with any such person, or his or her factor or agent, at any time thereafter, for any commodity whatsoever. Ninth.-In case any merchant, trader, or other person, shall receive any goods or merchandise which shall be shipped after the 15th day of March, and before the 15th day of May next, the same ought forthwith, at the election of the owner, to be either re-shipped or delivered to the Committee of the town, parish, or district wherein they shall be imported, to be stored, at the risk of the importer, until the non-importation agreement shall cease, or be sold, under the direction of the Committee aforesaid; and in the last-mentioned case, the owner or owners of such goods shall be reimbursed, out of the sales, the first costs and charges, the profit, if any, to be applied towards relieving such poor inhabitants of the town of Boston as are immediate sufferers by the Port Bill; and a particular account of all goods so returned, stored, or sold, to be inserted in the public papers; and if any goods or merchandise shall be shipped after the said 15th day of May next, the same ought forthwith to be sent back again, without breaking any of the packages thereof. Tenth.-That a Committee be chosen in every parish, town, and district, by those who contribute towards the general tax, whose business it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of all persons touching this Association ; and when it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the majority of any such Committee, that any person within the limits of their appointment has violated this Association, that such majority do forthwith cause the truth of the case to be published in the Gazette; to the end that all such foes to the rights of British America be publicly known and universally contemned, as the enemies of American liberty; and thenceforth we will respectively break off all dealings with him or her. Eleventh. That the Committee of Correspondence do frequently inspect the entries of the custom-house, and inform the Committees of the other Provinces, from time to time, of the true state thereof, and of every other material circumstance that may occur relative to this Association. Twelfth.—That all manufactures of this Province be sold at reasonable prices, so that no undue advantages be taken of a future scarcity of goods. And we do solemnly bind ourselves and our constituents, under the ties aforesaid, to adhere to this Association until American grievances are redressed. The foregoing Association being determined upon by the Congress, was ordered to be subscribed by the several members thereof, and thereupon we have hereunto set our respective names accordingly. Extract of a letter from Georgia to a gentleman in New-York, dated Feb. 18, 1775. Our Assembly met on the 18th January, to which time it had been prorogued. The first day of the session, a petition, signed by upwards of eighty principal people, was presented to the Commons House, condemning the measures pursued by the Northern Provinces, and praying they would take up the business in a temperate manner, and address the King, &c. Soon after another petition was presented, to the same effect, signed by one hundred and eighty from St. George's Parish; both which were read and laid on the table, but no further notice taken of them. The day of the Assembly's meeting, the Council sent the lower house a message, desiring a conference with them, on the present state of American affairs, and expressing their readiness to join them in constitutional measures for effecting a reconciliation with the mother country, on terms consistent with the dignity and safety of the whole British Empire and the rights and liberties of America, to which no answer was sent for many days. At last the Commons House met in conference. The result was, they declined joining in the measures proposed. Some time after, a motion was made in the Commons House to take into consideration some papers and letters received by the Speaker from some of the Northern Provinces, which was agreed to, and an early day appointed for it; but an adjournment till May put a stop to their proceedings. Some months before the house met, a set of men who had assumed to themselves the name of a Committee of the Parish of Christ Church, in which the town of Savannah is included, issued their mandate for a Provincial Meeting of Delegates, to meet also on the 18th January. Accordingly, a number of people met; but how little were they to be considered in such a light, even supposing their election to have been a regular and legal one, I leave you to judge, for five parishes out of twelve sent none at all, and in that of St. Andrew's, containing at least one hundred men fit to bear arms, the delegates were chosen by thirty-six only; also, in St. Paul's Parish, which contains at least an equal number, there were no more than eighty that voted for sending delegates, and I believe the same number voted only in Christ Church Parish. They continued to sit for eight or ten days, but as they have not printed or made public their resolutions, it is not certainly known what they were, and I hope, for the honour of the Province, ever will remain so. It is under consideration to augment the army at large, but an augmentation to the regiments in America is actually determined upon. Letter from the Georgia Delegates to the Continental Congress. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, April 6, 1775. SIR: The unworthy part which the Province of Georgia has acted in the great and general contest, leaves room to expect little less than the censure, or even indignation, of every virtuous man in America. Although, on the one hand, we feel the justice of such a consequence with respect to the Province in general, yet, on the other, we claim an exemption from it in favour of some individuals, who wished a better conduct. Permit us, therefore, in behalf of ourselves and many others, our fellow-citizens, warmly attached to the cause, to lay before the respectable body over which you preside a few facts, which, we trust, will not only acquit us of supineness, but also render our conduct to be approved by all candid and dispassionate men. At the time the late Congress did this Province the honour to transmit to it an extract from their proceedings, enclosed in a friendly letter from the Honourable Mr. Middleton, the sense and disposition of the people in general seemed to fluctuate between liberty and convenience. In order to bring on a determination respecting the measures recommended, a few well-affected persons in Savannah, by public advertisement in the Gazette, requested a meeting of all the parishes and districts, by delegates or representatives, in Provincial Congress. On the day appointed for this meeting, with concern they found that only five out of twelve parishes to which they had particularly wrote, had nominated and sent down delegates; and even some of these five had laid their representatives under injunctions as to the form of an association. Under these circumstances, those who met saw themselves a good deal embarrassed. However, one expedient seemed still to present itself. The House of Assembly was then sitting, and it was hoped there would be no doubt of a majority in favour of American freedom. The plan, therefore, was to go through with what business they could in Provincial Congress, and then, with a short address, present the same to the House of Assembly, who, it was hoped, would by votes in a few minutes, and before prerogative should interfere, make it the act of the whole Province. Accordingly, the Congress framed and agreed to such an association, and did such other business as appeared practicable with the people, and had the whole just ready to be presented, when the Governor, either treacherously informed, or shrewdly sus pecting the step, put an end to the session. What then could the Congress do? On the one hand, truth forbid them to call their proceedings the voice of the Province, there being but five out of twelve parishes concerned; and, on the other, they wanted strength sufficient to enforce them, on the principle of necessity, to which all ought for a time to submit. They found the inhabitants of Savannah not likely soon to give matters a favourable turn. The importers were mostly against any interruption, and the consumers very much divided. There were some of the latter virtuously for the measures; others strenuously against them; but more who called themselves neutrals than either. Thus situated, there appeared nothing before us but the alternative of either immediately commencing a civil war among ourselves, or else of patiently waiting for the measures to be recommended by the General Congress. Among a powerful people, provided with men, money, and conveniences, and by whose conduct others were to be regulated, the former would certainly be the resolution that would suggest itself to every man removed from the condition of a coward; but in a small community like that of Savannah, (whose members are mostly in their first advance towards wealth and independence, destitute of even the necessaries of life within themselves, and from whose junction or silence so little would be added or lost to the general cause,) the latter presented itself as the most eligible plan, and was adopted by the people. Party disputes and animosities have occasionally prevailed, and show that the spirit of freedom is not extinguished, but only restrained for a time, till an opportunity shall offer for calling it forth. The Congress convened at Savannah did us the honour of choosing us delegates to meet your respectable body at Philadelphia, on the tenth of next month. We were sensible of the honour and weight of the appointment, and would gladly have rendered our country any services our poor abilities would have admitted of; but alas! with what face could we have appeared for a Province whose inhabitants had refused to sacrifice the most trifling advantages to the public cause, and in whose behalf we did not think we could safely pledge ourselves for the execution of any one measure whatsoever? We do not mean to insinuate that those who appointed us would prove apostates or desert their opinions; but that the tide of opposition was great: that all the strength and virtue of these our friends might be sufficient for the purpose. We very early saw the difficulties that would here occur, and therefore repeatedly and constantly requested the people to proceed to the choice of other delegates in our stead; but this they refused to do. We beg, sir, you will view our reasons for not attending in a liberal point of light. Be pleased to make the most favourable representation of them, to the Honourable the Members of the Congress. We believe we may take upon ourselves to say, notwithstanding all that has passed, there are still men in Georgia who, when an occasion shall require, will be ready to evince a steady, religious and manly attachment to the liberties of America. For the consolation of these, they find themselves in the neighbourhood of a Province whose virtue and magnanimity must and will do lasting honour to cause, and in whose fate they seem disposed freely to involve their own. We have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and very humble servants, the To the President of the Continental Congress. NOBLE WYMBERLEY JONES, To the Committee of Donations, Boston, Massachusetts. SAVANNAH, June 1, 1775. GENTLEMEN-Although the inhabitants of Georgia have unfortunately drawn on themselves the censure of her sister colonies, by not adopting those measures which the wisdom of the General Congress has pointed out for the preservation of the liberties of America, yet we flatter ourselves you will believe there are many among us who sincerely espouse the great cause contended for by you; and who ardently wish that the noble stand you have made in defence of those rights to which, as men and British subjects, we are entitled, may be crowned with success. The distresses our brethren must unavoidably experience by enforcement of the late acts of a cruel and vindictive ministry, deeply affect us. The unhappy divisions amongst us have hitherto prevented our contributing to their support; but we have now the pleasure to transmit you by the Juliana, Captain |